“We showed character. There was a bit more bounce today. When it bounces you can take wickets, and that’s what we did.” – England captain Eoin Morgan

“They played Kuldeep really well today, and that was the difference in the middle overs this time. They did their homework.” – India captain Virat Kohli

England win by five wickets! Level the three-match series 1-1.
Willey gets the winning runs with a boundary. Hales leads the way, though, with an unbeaten 58*. He put the game to bed. Hits a six and fours off the first deliveries off Bhuvi in the final over. India’s batsmen, though, will rue their effort early in the day. A bit of grass and movement pushed the side on the back foot. The grass cover also seemed to have blunted the sharpness of Kuldeep who went wicketless today. Umesh and Bhuvi did put the hosts in a precarious position in their chase of India modest 149-run target, in the end, though India were well short of a par score.

After 19 overs, ENG 137/5.
Hales gets a crucial boundary late in an otherwise tight over from Umesh. England need 12 runs to win off the last over.

After 18 overs, ENG 129/5.
Brilliant work from Bhuvi! Concedes jsut three runs in the 18th over. England need another 20 runs from 12 balls.

WICKET! Bhuvi strikes! Bairstow holes out. England lose their fifth wicket. India still in this. England need another 23 runs off 17 balls.

After 17 overs, ENG 126/4.
Kuldeep gets smashed for two sixes. Bairstow going after the youngster. The chinaman bowler ends wicketless. He finishes with figures of 4-0-34-0. He had taken a five-wicket haul in the previous game. T20 is unforgiving.

100 up for England! Hosts will hope Hales stays till the end. India were stuck in a similar position at this stage but a late flourish helped them reach a respectable total. England need 46 runs from 30 balls.

After 14 overs, ENG 99/4.
They need another 50 runs to win off 36 balls. Hales is batting on 34*. England will hope Hales can help them across the line.

WICKET! Morgan is caught in the deep. Dhawan takes a fine catch to hand India the breakthrough. He’s standing well ahead of the ropes, but puts in a well-timed jump to latch on to the catch. Pandya gets his first wicket. The wicket ends a 48-run stand between Hales and Morgan.
Morgan c Dhawan b Pandya 17 (19b 2x4)

ENG 92/3 after 13 overs.
The game drifting into England’s favour. Hales and Morgan have quietly formed a neat partnership. They need another 57 runs from 42 balls.

ENG 85/3 after 12 overs.
Hales taking the attack to the spinners. Now smashes Kuldeep for a huge six. England’s hopes here tied to how Hales fairs from here on. He’s set the base for himself, will be interesting to see how he launches into the big-hitting mode.

After 11 overs, ENG 72/3 (Hales 26*, Morgan 4*)
Hales tries to counter-attack. Smashes Chahal for a four and a six to relieve some pressure. England will want this pair to hang in there. With spin from both ends, though, their task is cut out for them.

After 10 overs, ENG 59/3.
Tight first over from Kuldeep. Concedes just four runs. There were a few close calls in that eventful over. England living dangerously.

After 9 overs, ENG 55/3.
Kuldeep comes into the attack in the 10th over. Spin from both ends now.

After 8.3 overs, ENG 52/3.
50 up for ENG! Morgan and Hales looking to rebuild from here on. They face the tricky test of beating India’s spin threat.

After 7 overs, ENG 44/3.
WICKET! Chahal strikes in his first over! Root bowled. Looks for the sweep and misses it completely. England three down now. India are doing well as they look to defend their modest total.
Root b Chahal 9 (10b)

End of powerplay, ENG 42/2.
Still no spinners in the attack. Kohli relying on the pacers so far. Will it change now that the restrictions are off.

After 5 overs, ENG 33/2.
WICKET! Kohli again...Buttler again, but he holds on this time! Makes immediate amends. The batsman scoops it again in the direction of mid-off. Kohli doesn’t make the same mistake twice!
Buttler c Kohli b Umesh 14 (12b 3x4)

DROPPED! Kohli spills it at mid-off! Would you believe it! Buttler gets a reprieve! The batsman smashes it down the fielder’s throat. The India skipper, though, fluffs up the straightforward catch.

After 4 overs, ENG 28/1.
Umesh might have bagged the wicket, but Bhuvi is having a fine first spell. Has conceded just 5 runs in his two overs so far.

After 3 overs, ENG 25/1.
WICKET! Roy bowled! Umesh comes back strong in the second, knocks the stumps as Roy misses the ball completely. Bowls it full and makes it move in at the last moment. Goes straight through Roy’s defences to knock down the middle stump.
Roy b Umesh 15 (12b 2x4 1x6)

After 2 overs, ENG 16/0.
Fine over from Bhuvi! Concedes just two runs. After the expensive first over, India needed to quiet things down and Bhuvi was disciplined enough to keep the batsmen in check.

After 1 over, ENG 14/0.
Umesh bowls the first over. Roy-Buttler will want to get off to a positive start in their chase of 149. Roy starts off with two boundaries in the first over. England get out the blocks quickly.

Kohli and Dhoni’s late flourish helped India to a respectable total. However, it is still not an ideal T20 score. With a cover of grass on the surface of the wicket, it will be interesting to see how effective India’s spinners would be today. They, however, a strong pace attack and could give England some trouble. The hosts, though, came into the series with a fine form with the bat and will hope to replicate it today.

India 148/5 in 20 overs
Dhoni swats and swats hard! 22 runs come off the last over! He punishes a wayward Jake Ball. Dhoni remains unbeaten on 32*.

After 19 overs, IND 126/5
Hardik makes a brisk start. Gets a six off Jordan as India look for late flourish. He went deep into the crease and smashed well over the fence.

After 18 overs, IND 115/5
WICKET! Kohli caught at fine leg. He look to clear the fence with a “pull” behind the wicket, but Root takes a smart catch. The India skipper misses out on a half-century.
Kohli c Root b Willey 47 (38b 1x4 2x6)

After 17 overs, IND 111/4.
Kohli nears his half-century. Both batsmen looking to get the big shots in. England will want to keep the damage to a minimum.

After 16 overs, IND 101/4.
100 up for India! The boundaries have dried up a bit, bit with Kohli and Dhoni in the middle, the ones and twos are coming in thick and fast. The boundaries won’t be far off either. India have scored just 22 runs in the last four overs.

After 15 overs, IND 93/4 (Dhoni 11*, Kohli 32*)
Dhoni whips a helicopter shot to the midwicket boundary. It doesn’t go all the way but does fetch him a four.

After 13 overs, IND 82/4.
Dhoni joins Kohli in the middle. The senior pros have a task on their hands. Incidentally, Dhoni has now completed 500 international appearances.

WICKET! Raina stumped! He walks down the track to Rashid, but misses the ball completely. Fails to pick the wrong one. Dhoni joins Kohli in the middle.
Raina st Buttler b Rashid 27 (20b 2x4 1x6)

After 12 overs, IND 78/3 (Kohli 29*, Raina 26*)
Raina and Kohli are both going after the bowlers now. They are dominating the bowlers now. England now using the spinners, but both batsmen seem quite adept.

After 11 overs, IND 67/3.
Dropped! Kohli has begun targetting the boundary. Roy nearly pulls off a stunning catch at the fence but parries it over the line for a six.

After 10 overs, IND 52/3 (Kohli 14*, Raina 16*)
50 up for India! It’s taken some time but they get there. Fortunately for India, Kohli-Raina have settled down well.

After 9 overs, IND 48/3 (Kohli 13*, Raina 15*)
Kohli-Raina are slowly building a stand here. They have settled down well. Will be interesting to see how they build on from here.

After 8 overs, IND 41/3.
The pitch isn’t an ideal T20 wicket. The India batsmen are learning it the hard way. Can Kohli steer India to a competitive total?

After 7 overs, IND 36/3 (Kohli 2*, Raina 12*).
England bowlers have done really well in the powerplay. India top-order crumbled. India’s hopes of a big total tied to Kohli now.

After 5 overs, IND 23/3.
WICKET! Rahul bowled! Plunkett hands England the third wicket! India in trouble. Rahul goes for big shot down the ground, but he fails to pick up the slight movement and the ball hits the top of the bails. Kohli and Raina at the crease now.
Rahul b Plunkett 6 (8b)

WICKET! Dhawan run-out. He fails to ground his bat and it even slips out his hands as the throw from Roy hits the stumps! Morgan had fumbled but Dhawan’s own fumble with the bat gave the fielder enough time to dislodge the bails.
Dhawan run out 10 (12b 1x4)

IND 22/1 after 4 overs (Dhawan 10*,
No team has ever scored 200 at Cardiff. If India are break that trend they need to get going. So far, though, they have adopted a watchful approach.

IND 13/1 after 3 overs.
Rahul joins Dhawan in the middle after Rohit’s exit. The new ball is doing just enough to keep the batsmen in check.

IND 7/1 after 2 overs.
WICKET! Ball puts Rohit out of his misery. Sends him back to the hut. Rohit goes for a big heave but can only manage a top edge and is caught out. He departs on 5.
Rohit c Buttler b Ball 6 (9b 1x4)

After 1 over, IND 1/0.
Dhawan, Rohit open the innings for India. David Willey bowls the first over for England. Rohit has everyone stumped as he attempts an ugly scoop. He messes it up and is struck on the pad in front. Fortunately for him there was a touch off the glove.

“I don’t particularly like it. I don’t think it is necessarily in the spirit of cricket.” – David Willey said of Indian bowlers who were stopping in their delivery stride in the first T20I.

“I haven’t heard about David Willey’s comments. We’re here to play, and I haven’t been following others’ remarks.” – Virat Kohli’s response.

India XI: Rohit, Dhawan, Rahul, Kohli (C), Raina, Dhoni (WK), Hardik, Bhuvneshwar, Kuldeep, Umesh, Chahal.
England XI: Roy, Buttler, Hales, Morgan, Bairstow, Root, Willey, Jordan, Plunkett, Rashid, Ball.

England win the toss and choose to bowl first.

Pitch Report: A bit of grass on the wicket. Pacers and spinners will both find some purchase from the track.

A dominant opening win has set the tone and India would look to ensure that a spin-wary England remains on the back-foot when the two sides clash in the second T20 International on Friday.

Kuldeep Yadav took 5/24 and KL Rahul scored an unbeaten second T20I ton as the Men in Blue produced a fine all-round display to stun the hosts by eight wickets in Manchester for an early lead on this tour. A win on Friday would seal the three-match series for Virat Kohli and Co.

In fact, India stand on the cusp of a sixth successive T20I series win – a run stretching back to their 2-1 win over New Zealand at home in November 2017. In all, they have been unbeaten in bilateral T20I series since September last year.

In terms of ICC Rankings, a 2-0 series lead will allow India to close the gap with second-placed Australia, while a 3-0 whitewash will help them overleap to second behind top-ranked Pakistan.

Spin-bowling machine

A majority of English batsmen practiced with the spin-bowling machine, Merlyn, which was last used ahead of the 2005 Ashes to get the then-England line-up prepared to face Shane Warne.

“Merlyn is a good addition, especially when you don’t have someone to replicate bowling left-arm ‘chinaman’. It is ‘over-training’ actually, because Merlyn obviously does spin and bounce a lot more. But if you come out of a Merlyn session you’re in pretty good order,” said the all-rounder Chris Jordan.

There’s also so much video footage around. A few of the guys would have played with Kuldeep at Kolkata Knight Riders and watched him across the IPL. It’s just trying to get an insight maybe into his mind-set as well, and when he bowls which ball. They also do have 10 other good players as well, so we can’t get too caught up with Kuldeep,” he added.